Vijayawada: Principal secretary for skills development and training department S. Suresh Kumar emphasised the need for a robust industry-academy partnership to prepare students for the rapidly evolving world and its futuristic requirements.
The AP department of technical education, for the second consecutive year, successfully organised a workshop dedicated to strengthening the connections between industry and academia. The event took place at Acharya Nagarjuna University in Guntur on Thursday, bringing together principals and training and placement officers from government and private polytechnics across the state. During the workshop, the Best Placement Performer awards were presented to eight polytechnics.
Suresh Kumar highlighted India’s greatest advantage, which is its valuable demographic dividend. He underscored the importance of not becoming digital slaves but harnessing this advantage wisely. He recommended replacing traditional industry visits with comprehensive industrial studies for a more immersive learning experience.
He suggested making faculty training mandatory, emphasising that it should not be solely for career advancement or promotions but for the overall enhancement of education.
Director of technical education C. Naga Rani, highlighted various industry-connected initiatives like executing MoUs with industries, industry involvement in curriculum revamping, faculty industrial training, students industrial training followed by job offers, etc.
Recognising the crucial role of industry-academy collaboration, vice-president of Dixon Technologies India Limited K.N. Lakshmipathy announced the initiative to offer one-month industrial training for polytechnic faculty. He also expressed his interest in providing job placements for 300 diploma students.
The Industry Connect Excellence Award was presented to Wheels India Ltd., Royal Enfield, HL Mando Anand India Pvt. Ltd., and Efftronics Systems Pvt. Ltd. for their invaluable support in facilitating industry-academia collaborations.
Outstanding achievements in placements were recognised as Best Placement Performers, and awards were presented to eight polytechnics, namely ESC Government Polytechnic, Nandyal, Government Polytechnic, Vijayawada, Government Polytechnic, Visakhapatnam, Government Institute of Chemical Engineering, Visakhapatnam, Government Polytechnic for Women, Guntur, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Government Polytechnic, Rajahmundry, Government Polytechnic, Anakapalle, and Aditya Engineering College, Surampalem.
During the event, for the Institute Website Design Competition, out of 40 teams from government polytechnics, the Government Polytechnic for Women Bheemunipatnam was declared the winner and felicitated with a cash prize of Rs. 50,000.
